Now, I think it is so cool!
Le Commandant Charcot is also connected to the culture. She is a true global community! Le Commandant Charcot has 215 staff from all over the world. The staff know just how to welcome the international guests. The staff also work hard to support each other. Some staff members spend many weeks or months away from their families back at home, in order to explore and work on board Le Commandant Charcot. I am so grateful to them for their hospitality.
Le Commandant Charcot also has a strong relationship with the local people who live here in Greenland. This ship is carrying 22 pallets of fresh fruits and vegetables for the local people in a village in East Greenland called Tasiilaq. There are no roads far outside Tasiilaq, and you can only get to and from the community by helicopter or boat. The ocean has been frozen all winter, so Le Commandant Charcot will be the first ship to break the ice and come in. I hope we make it there!
Le Commandant Charcot also respects the local environments and cultures by being environmentally conscious. The Polar Code is a rule-book that ships operating in the Arctic must follow. The Polar Code includes many rules, but the most important rules have to do with how ships manage their waste. Le Commandant Charcot has the most modern waste-management equipment. Nothing is thrown overboard - ever! Human waste (e.g., what goes down the toilet) is flushed down vacuum toilets. These toilets make a loud sound when they flush, and they use much less water than a household toilet. The system then separates solid waste from liquid waste for disposal when the ship returns to port. I am so glad to be on a ship that "leaves no trace" as it explores the Arctic.
